


Meeting Naked Strangers

by zacekova



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Flirting, Hot Springs & Onsen, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-09 09:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17998868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zacekova/pseuds/zacekova
Summary: This is the fifth time in the last two weeks he’s had to come down to the public bathhouse at the corner to bathe because he was so sick of taking rushed, lukewarm showers. It’s not even like he lives in a bad part of town, it’s just that Sorata is too busy mooning after the owner of the flower shop across the street to remember that Kurogane has reminded him three times already about the screwed up water heater. He may end up having to make the call himself in the morning and have his landlord pay him back.





	Meeting Naked Strangers

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The first Time I met this stranger](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/461801) by raikovart. 



> I’ve been staring at raikovart’s sketch since it came across my dash for the first time like two years ago. I’ve been wanting to write something for it ever since and finally did it. Tada!

Kurogane tips his head back against the wall and closes his eyes, enjoying the heat seeping into his bones.

This is the fifth time in the last two weeks he’s had to come down to the public bathhouse at the corner to bathe because he was so sick of taking rushed, lukewarm showers. It’s not even like he lives in a bad part of town, it’s just that Sorata is too busy mooning after the owner of the flower shop across the street to remember that Kurogane has reminded him _three times_ already about the screwed up water heater. He may end up having to make the call himself in the morning and have his landlord pay him back.

It’s a bit of a cold evening, scattered snowflakes drifting down from the dark sky, but the privacy walls block the chill wind and the snow melts before it can even reach the surface of the bath. The distant sound of a door sliding open and quiet footsteps padding across the stone pathway catches his attention and Kurogane perks his ears up even as he stays exactly where he is. Someone steps down into the stone-lined pool next to the high-temperature bath Kurogane’s soaking in, and the water laps softly as the bather moves around for a bit and settles.

Kurogane peeks an eye open after a moment, curious. All the regulars greet him by name, even if most of them respect his quieter nature by not striking up a conversation, and this tiny, local bathhouse off the beaten path doesn’t get many visitors - but the newcomer hasn’t said anything and there’s no one sitting in the low water or around the edge of the pool. Kurogane sits up, opening his eyes fully just as someone pushes up out of the water right in front of him, the sudden appearance nearly giving him a heart attack.

The man presses himself up against the wall separating the pools, back arched and forearms resting on the stone rim, and shakes a shimmering halo of silken light out of his eyes. The warm glow of the lanterns illuminates a wash of pale skin and the inky lines of a tattoo curling over his shoulders, steam swirling around his golden head in an ethereal haze. Kurogane’s struck by the sudden desire to reach out and brush the messy strands away from his face, to see those eyes flutter open and find out if they’re as breathtaking as the rest of him. And then they _do_ open and they’re blue blue _blue_ , bright and sparkling and deep as the ocean as they alight on him.

The man’s mouth curves up in a tiny, gorgeous smile. “Hi.”

“Hey,” Kurogane says, breathless.

The man props his chin on his palm and tilts his head, lips still curved in that soft smile. “I hope you don’t mind my saying so, but your eyes are _striking_. The most beautiful I’ve ever seen.”

Kurogane feels his cheeks heat and pushes down the desire to hide his face. Instead, he gives in to the urge to reach out and touch, brushing the man’s hair away from his eyes and letting his fingertips rest against the skin of his temple. “You’re one to talk,” he murmurs, and feels a curl of pleasure when the other man’s cheeks flush a pale pink in return and ducks his head.

After a moment, he peeks back up at Kurogane through his fringe, shy but pleased. “I don’t suppose you’d believe me if I said I don’t usually say things like that to naked strangers in public bathhouses.”

Kurogane chuckles and rests an arm along wall between them. “I guess I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, just this once.”

The other man’s smile grows, brightens, and if it was breathtaking before, it’s positively heartstopping now. “How kind,” he says, pausing for a moment as his eyes track over Kurogane’s face. “My name is Fai,” he continues. “Fai Flourite.”

“Kurogane,” Kurogane answers, entranced by the lilt of Fai’s voice, the glow of the lamps in his hair, the ocean blue glint of constellations in his eyes.

“Kurogane,” Fai says slowly, sounding it out carefully, and his lips curve in a gentle smile, eyes still roving over Kurogane’s face with curiosity, wonder, delight. “Would you care to share a drink with me this evening, Kurogane?”

Kurogane reaches up to twist his fingers in a wayward curl of gold on Fai’s shoulder, the backs of his knuckles brushing lightly against smooth, warm skin. “Only if i’m not misreading this?” he asks.

“No,” Fai breathes, shivering at the touch. “No, not misreading at all.”

Kurogane’s lips curl up involuntarily into a smile. “Then I would care to very much.”

Fai’s smile brightens even more, impossibly, and Kurogane has to peel his eyes away from those pink lips and stand or he might take this too far, too soon.

“The izakaya at the end of the road by the river,” he says. “I’ll see you there?” He waits just long enough for Fai’s nod of agreement before leaving for the locker room, biting back a delighted grin.

He supposes it’s alright that his landlord is a besotted moron.


End file.
